The Laws Guide the Nature Drawing and Journaling

The author, John Muir Laws, is a renowned naturalist, educator, and artist. Called a modern day Audubon by the Washington Post, Laws’ nature guides are highly respected among scientists and nature lovers alike.

The Bay Nature cover story features an excerpt and drawings from this newest Laws Guide. Here’s a sample:

“Writers, naturalists, and scientists in all disciplines use journals to preserve what they have seen, done, and thought in the course of their work. My journal is the most important tool I carry into the field with me—it is even more necessary than my binoculars. Journaling is a skill for anyone who wishes to live life more deeply, a skill that you can learn at any age and that will develop with intention and practice. Sketching and writing as you explore is the most effective thing you can do to launch yourself in the process of discovery.

“Keeping a nature journal is a way to rediscover the thrill of science. Observing and journaling will slow you down and make you stop, sit down, look, and look again. How often do we take the time to be still, quiet, and attentive? Engaging in this process helps you to organize your thoughts, piece together answers, and ask richer questions. Once you slow down and look long enough to record observations in your journal, mysteries will unfold before you. At the core of all science are insatiable curiosity and deep observation, qualities that lead to the best kind of learning: learning motivated by your intrinsic wonder, hunger to understand, and ability to observe.

“I draw and work in my nature journal for three reasons: to see, to remember, and to stimulate curiosity. These abilities will be reinforced for you, too, every time you sit down to journal—and you don’t have to be good at drawing. The benefit of journaling is not limited to what you produce on the page; it is, rather, found in your experience and how you think along the way.

“In any moment, it is possible to learn about your surroundings through observation. It is also easy to walk through the world caught up in your own thoughts and worries, looking without truly seeing. The difference between these two experiences is conscious, focused attention. Inspired by Kerry Ruef’s Private Eye Project, I use three prompts—“I notice,” “I wonder,” and “It reminds me of ”—as the foundation of my practice because they lead to conscious attention.”

This prestigious cover placement is part of our comprehensive book publicity campaign for Heyday publishers. Please contact Kathlene Carney to discuss how Carney & Associates publicity services can help promote your science or nature book or organization.